Cross slide operating mechanism



Oct. 3, 1967 P. H. WHITE CROSS SLIDE OPERATING MECHANISM Filed Sept, 14, 1965 V 3 Sheets-Sheet 1' I INVENTOR PHILIP H. WHITE ATTORNEY Oct. 3, 1967 P. H. WHITE CROSS SLIDE OPERATING MECHANISM 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 14, 1965 INVENTOR PHILIP H. WHlTE ATM/7% Oct. 3; 1967 P; H. WHITE. 3,344,694

CROSS SLIDE OPERATING MECHANISM Filed Sept. 14,1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 FIG. 8

' /N VE N TOR AT TORNE Y United States Patent 3,344,694 CROSS SLIDE OPERATING MECHANISM Philip Henry White, Claremont, N.H., assignor to Pneumo Dynamics Corporation, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Delaware Filed Sept. 14, 1965, Ser. No. 487,131 9 Claims. (Cl. 823) The present invention relates to multiple spindle lathes of the type employing transversely reciprocable cross slides for feeding and withdrawing tools at the spindle stations, and is more particularly directed to a new and improved cross slide operating mechanism for reciprocating the cross slides.

It is a principal aim of the present invention to provide a new and improved cross slide operating mechanism which provides for reciprocating individual tool cross slides at each of the spindle stations.

It is another aim of the present invention to provide a new and improved cross slide operating mechanism which provides improved flexibility of location of the cross slides so that individual tool cross slides may be located at each of the spindle stations and/or so that two individual tool cross slides may be located at any given spindle station.

It is a further aim of the present invention to provide a new and improved cross slide operating mechanism of the type described having a compact design which requires a minimum of space and which may be readily used in multiple spindle lathes of otherwise conventional design without diminishing the tooling area or enlarging the size of the lathe.

It is another aim of the present invention to provide a new and improved cross slide operating mechanism design of the type described which lends itself to use in both six and eight spindle multiple spindle lathes.

It is a further aim of the present invention to provide a new and improved cross slide operating mechanism which is adjustable for varying the tool stroke and the rate of tool feed and withdrawal.

It is another aim of the present invention to provide a new and improved cross slide operating mechanism which is usable with regular nonadjustable cross slides or with cross slides which are adjustable to vary their stroke and their rate of feed and withdrawal.

It is another aim of the present invention to provide a new and improved cross slide operating mechanism which, for example, is usable for reciprocating seven individual cross slides on a six spindle lathe or for reciprocating eight individual cross slides on an eight spindle lathe, and with which the cross slides may be readily added or removed in accordance with the tooling needs of the machine.

Other objects Will be in part obvious and in part pointed out more in detail hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combination of elements and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereafter set forth, and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal side elevation view of a six spindle multiple spindle lathe incorporating an embodiment of a cross slide operating mechanism of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an end elevation view of the right end of the multiple spindle lathe as it is viewed in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged partial transverse section view, partly broken away and partly in section, taken substantially along line 33 of FIG. 1 and showing the cross 3,344,694 Patented Oct. 3, 1967 slide arrangement of the six spindle multiple spindle lathe;

FIG. 4 is a partial transverse section view similar to FIG. 3 showing a cross slide arrangement for an eight spindle multiple spindle lathe;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged partial transverse section view, partly broken away and partly in section, of the multiple spindle lathe of FIG. 1, taken substantially along lines 55 of FIGS. 1, 6 and 7;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged partial top plan view, partly broken away, of the multiple spindle lathe of FIG. 1 showing a plan view of the cross slide operating mechamsm;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged partial longitudinal section view, partly broken away and partly in section, of the multiple spindle lathe of FIG. 1 showing an elevation view of the cross slide operating mechanism;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged partial transverse section view, partly broken away, of the multiple spindle lathe of FIG. 1 showing a nonadjustable cross slide employed in the cross slide arrangement of FIG. 3;

FIG. 9 is an enlarged partial transverse section view similar to FIG. 8 showing an adjustable cross slide employed in the cross slide arrangement of FIG. 3;

FIG. 10 is an isometric view of an inner slide of the nonadjustable cross slide of FIG. 8; and

FIG. 11 is an isometric view of an inner slide of the adjustable cross slide of FIG. 9.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, wherein like numbers represent like parts, a multiple spindle lathe incorporating an embodiment of a cross slide operating mechanism of the present invention is shown comprising a frame or body which includes an elongated base 10; a column 12 at one longitudinal end of the base 10 which houses the operating gear drives and clutches (not shown) of the lathe; a column 14 at the other end of the base 10 which houses a multiple spindle carrier 15 and the cross slide operating mechanism, generally denoted by the numeral 16; and an elongated top bed 18 through which passes the main shaft or cam shaft 20 of the lathe. Referring to FIG. 2, the cam shaft 20 is shown driven by an electric motor 22 through a suitable pulley and belt arrangement 24 and a gear transmission or speed reducer 26. In turn, the cam shaft 20 is suitably connected to angularly index the multiple spindle carrier 15 at periodic intervals in order to successively index the carrier spindles 27 to the six spindle stations of the machine.

As is well known, a conventional multiple spindle lathe may have, for example, six spindles 27 as shown in FIG. 3 or, for example, eight spindles as shown in FIG. 4. Where the lathe has six spindles the cross slides may be installed, in accordance with the present invention, to provide an arrangement as shown in FIG. 3 having a total of seven individual cross slides 3036 (and therefore one more cross slide than the number of spindles) which are arranged into three pairs of parallel individual cross slides 30 and 31; 32 and 33; 34 and 35; and a single cross slide 36. Thus, it can be seen that in the shown arrangement the spindle station at the 3 oclock position is provided with two individual tool cross slides 31 and 32.

FIG. 4 shows an eight spindle lathe having individual tool cross slides 40-47 arranged in four pairs of parallel individual tool cross slides 40 and 41; 42 and 43; 44 and 45; and 46 and 47.

The cross slides 30-36 or 40-47 are shown mounted on the inner end faces 48, 49, respectively of the end columns of the lathe for rectilinear movement transversely of the spindle carrier and spindle axes. Referring particularly to FIG. 8, an individual tool cross slide is shown comprising a tool support or main slide 60 which is mounted for rectilinear reciprocable movement on the inner end face 48 of the column 14 between the guides 62-64, and an inner or secondary slide 66 which is mounted for longitudinal movement parallel to the axis of the main slide 60 within a suitable guideway or slot 68 within the rear face of the main slide. The inner slide 66 is made adjustable within the guideway and therefore relative to the main slide by a stud 70 threaded into the main slide 60 and having'an outer end journaled within an upstanding lug 72 on the outer end of the inner slide 66. The outer end 74 of the stud is formed for angular adjustment of the stud and therefore for reciprocable adjustment of the inner slide 66 on the main slide 60. The inner slide 66 is normally secured to the main slide as by a bolt 76 received within an elongated slot 78 in the main slide and threaded into the inner slide. As best seen in FIG. 10, the underside of the inner slide is provided with a transverse slot 79 which receives a drive roller 80 for reciprocating the cross slide as hereinafter more fully described.

As an alternative to the cross slide of FIG. 8, a cross slide of the type shown in FIG. 9 may be employed. In this cross slide the main slide 100 is provided with a slot 102 on its inner face and an inner slide 104 is longitudinally adjustable on the main slide with the stud 70 and bolt 76 in the manner of the cross slide of FIG. 8. The inner slide 104 is, however, provided with a cylindrical insert 106 which is rotatable within a cylindrical recess within the inner slide and which is provided with a slot 108 for receiving the drive roller 80 for reciprocating the cross slide. The insert 106 is angularly adjustable for changing the angular position of the slot 108 and for thereby adjusting the stroke of the cross slide by a worm gear and Worm arrangement which comprises a worm gear 110 suitably keyed to the insert 106 and a longitudinally extending threaded rod or worm 111 in mesh with the worm gear. The threaded rod or worm 111 is suitably journaled in the cross slide so that by angular adjustment of the worm, as by a screwdriver, the slot 108 may be angularly adjusted.

Referring particularly to FIGS. 5, 6 and 7, a plurality of rocker shafts 120-126 are provided for oscillating the drive rolls 80. The rocker shafts 120-126 are rotatably supported within the column 14 for rotation about axes parallel to the axes of the carrier 15 and the cam shaft 20, and the inner end face 48 of the column 14 is provided with suitable slots 129 for receiving the rolls 80 which are eccentrically mounted in the ends of the rocker shafts for projection through the end face 48, as best seen in FIG. 7. The rocker shafts 120-126 are mounted about the spindle carrier 15 so that a rocker shaft is positioned for actuating a cross slide at each of the spindle stations, and so that an additional rocker shaft is provided for operating an additional cross slide at the 3 oclock station as shown in FIG. 3. As the drive rolls 80 are mounted eccentrically of the axes of the rocker shafts, it can be seen that by oscillating the rocker shafts 120,-126 the corresponding individual tool cross slides are reciprocated to feed the supported cutting tools forwardly toward the respective spindle stations and to subsequently Withdraw the cutting tools from the spindle stations and to thereby permit the carrier to be angularly indexed to index the spindles to successive stations. Also, the rocker shafts 120-126 can be positioned about the multiple spindle carrier 15 at varying distances from the axis of the multiple spindle carrier, as seen in FIG. 5, in accordance with the available space and therefore make it possible for employing at least one rocker shaft for each of the spindle stations and/or for employing two rocker shafts for a single spindle station.

The rocker shafts 120-126 are oscillated about their axes for reciprocating the respective cross slides by a plurality of axially spaced cams 130-133 mounted on the cam shaft and which provide seven axially spaced cam tracks on the opposed faces thereof for operating the rocker shafts. Two banks of coaxial levers 137-139 and 140-143, respectively, are mounted on suitable pivot shafts 146, 148 which extend parallel to the axes of the vertically spaced cam shaft and multiple spindle carrier and which are positioned symmetrically between and on opposite transverse sides thereof. Rolls or followers 150 are mounted on the inner ends of the levers for receipt within the cam tracks. The levers 137-143 are provided with outer bifurcated ends with pivot pins 164, and the rocker shafts 120-126 are provided with suitable crank pins 166 in axial alignment with the pivot pins 164 of the respective operating levers. Thus, as best seen in FIG. 7, the crank pins 166 on the various rocker shafts are axially spaced for alignment with the pivot pins 164 on the outer ends of the levers.

The rocker shafts are operatively connected to the levers by connecting rods or links 170-176 having outer eye bolts 179 which receive the pins 164 and 166. The eye bolts 179 are adjustably threaded into the body of the connecting rods and are secured in their adjusted positions by suitable lock nuts 180, and may have threads of opposite hand so that the length of the connecting rods 170-176 can be adjusted merely by loosening the lock nuts 80 and by rotating the body of the connecting rod. Accordingly, by adjusting the length of the connecting rods 170-176 the fully extended and/ or fully withdrawn angular position of the drive rolls 80 can be adjusted to vary the effective stroke of the associated cross slide and/or the rate of feed and withdrawal of the cross slide.

Thus it can be seen that the cross slide operating mechanism of the present invention provides for locating the cross slides about the rotatable multiple spindle carrier so that individual tool cross slides may be employed at each of the spindle stations and/or so that a pair of in-. dividual tool cross slides may be located at any given spindle station. Additionally, with the cross slide operate ing mechanism the cross slides may be readily added to or removed from the lathe in accordance with the particular machining operations desired and the operating mechanism may be adjusted for controlling the length and/or rate of feed and withdrawal of the cross slide. Further, the cross slide operating mechanism design of the present invention may be readily employed in con: ventional multiple spindle lathes of the type having a longitudinally extending cam shaft in the top bed of the lathe without increasing the size of the machine.

As will be apparent to persons skilled in the art, vari+ ous modifications and adaptations of the structure above described will become readily apparent without departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, the scope of which is defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a multiple spindle lathe having a multiple spindle carrier adapted to be angularly indexed for indexing the spindles successively to a plurality of spindle stations, a cam shaft mounted above the spindle carrier for rota.- tion about an axis parallel to the axis of the carrier, a plurality of tool cross slides mounted for rectilinear reciprocable movement transversely of the axis of the spindle carrier, and cross slide operating means driven by the cam shaft for reciprocating the cross slides in timely sequence with the angular indexing of the spindle carrier; the improvement wherein a plurality of individual tool cross slides are provided which'include a pair of individual tool cross slides at least at one of the spindle stations, and wherein the cross slide operating mechanism comprises cam means on the cam shaft providing a plurality of axially spaced drive cams for the plurality of cross slides respectively, and individual drive means for the cross slides operatively connecting the axially spaced cams with the cross slides respectively for reciprocation thereof.

2. In a multiple spindle lathe having a multiple spindle carrier adapted to be angularly indexed for indexing the spindles successively to a plurality of spindle stations, a cam shaft mounted above thespindle carrier for rotation about an axis parallel to the axis of the carrier, 21

plurality of tool cross slides mounted for rectilinear reciprocable movement transversely of the axis of the spindle carrier, and cross slide operating means driven by the cam shaft for reciprocating the cross slides in timely sequence with the angular indexing of the spindle carrier; the improvement wherein an individual tool cross slide is provided for each of the spindle stations and an additional individual tool cross slide is provided at least at one of the spindle stations, and wherein the cross slide operating mechanism comprises cam means on the cam shaft providing a plurality of axially spaced drive cams for the plurality of cross slides respectively, and means for operatively connecting the axially spaced cams for reciprocating the cross slides respectively including a plurality of rocker shafts mounted for rotation about axes parallel to and positioned about the spindle carrier axis at varying distances therefrom, means connecting the rocker shafts with the cross slides respectively for reciproca ing the cross slides with the rocker shafts, and individual drive means operatively connecting the drive cams with the rocker shafts respectively.

3. In a multiple spindle lathe having a multiple spindle carrier adapted to be angularly indexed for indexing the spindles successively to a plurality of spindle stations, a cam shaft mounted above the spindle carrier for rotation about an axis parallel to the axis of the carrier, a plurality of tool cross slides mounted for rectilinear reciprocable movement transversely of the axis of the spindle carrier, and cross slide operating means driven by the cam shaft for reciprocating the cross slides in timely sequence with the angular indexing of the spindle carrier, the improvement wherein the cross slide operating mechanism comprises cam means on the cam shaft providing a plurality of axially spaced drive cams for the purality of cross slides respectively, and means for operatively connecting the axially spaced cams for reciprocating the cross slides respectively including a lever and a corresponding rocker shaft for each of the cross slides mounted for oscillation about axes parallel to the axis of the spindle carrier, the levers having cam followers at one end in operative engagement with the cams respectively and the rocker shafts having cranks in substantial alignment with the other end of the levers respectively, connecting rods operatively connecting the other ends of the levers and the rocker shaft cranks respectively, and means operatively connecting the rocker shafts with the cross slides.

4. In a multiple spindle lathe having a multiple spindle carrier adapted to be angularly indexed for indexing the spindles successively, a plurality of tool cross slides mounted for rectilinear reciprocable movement transversely of the axis of the spindle carrier, and cross slide operating means for reciprocating the cross slides in timely sequence with the angular indexing of the spindle carrier; the improvement wherein an individual tool cross slide is provided for each of the spindle stations; wherein each of the cross slides comprises a main slide mounted for rectilinear reciprocable movement for feeding and withdrawing a tool at a spindle station, a secondary slide mounted on the main slide for adjustment along the axis of reciprocable movement of the main slide, and means for adjustably securing the secondary slide to the main slide; and wherein the cross slide operating means comprises a plurality of rocker shafts for the cross slides respectively mounted for oscillation about axes parallel to the spindle carrier axis and at varying distances therefrom and perpendicular to the axis of rectilinear movement of the cross slide, the rocker shafts having eccentn'cally mounted driven means engageable with the secondary slides for reciprocating the cross slides upon oscillation of the rocker shafts respectively, and means for oscillating the rocker shafts in timely sequence with the angular indexing of the spindle carrier.

5. In a multiple spindle lathe having a multiple spindle carrier adapted to be angularly indexed for indexing the spindles successively to a plurality of spindle stations, a cam shaft mounted above the spindle carrier for rotation about an axis parallel to the axis of the carrier, a plurality of tool cross slides mounted for rectilinear reciprocable movement transversely of the axis of the spindle carrier, and cross slide operating means driven by the cam shaft for reciprocating the cross slides in timely sequence with the angular indexing of the spindle carrier; the improvement wherein each of the cross slides comprises a main slide mounted for rectilinear reciprocable movement for feeding and withdrawing a tool at a spindle station, a secondary slide mounted on the main slide for adjustment along the axis of reciprocable movement of the main slide, and means for adjustably securing the secondary slide to the main slide; and wherein the cross slide operating means comprises a rocker shaft for each of the cross slides mounted for oscillation about an axis parallel to the spindle carrier axis and perpendicular to the axis of rectilinear movement of the cross slide, the rocker shaft having eccentrically mounted drive means engageable with the secondary slide for reciprocating the cross slide upon oscillation thereof, and means for oscillating the rocker shaft including cam means on the cam shaft, a pivotal lever extending transversely of the cam shaft having an inner cam follower engageable with the cam means, and a connecting rod interconnecting the pivotal lever and the rocker shaft.

6. The improvement of claim 5 wherein the main slide has an elongated slot on the inner face thereof, wherein the secondary slide is reciprocable in the elongated slot for longitudinal adjustment therein, wherein the secondary slide is provided with a slot on the inner side thereof extending transversely of the axis of rectilinear movement of the cross slide, and wherein the drive means of the rfcker shaft is received within the slot of the secondary side.

7. In a multiple spindle lathe having a multiple spindle carrier adapted to be angularly indexed for indexing the spindles successively to a plurality of spindle stations, a cam shaft mounted above the spindle carrier for rotation about an axis parallel to the axis of the spindle carrier, a plurality of tool cross slides mounted for rectilinear reciprocable movement transversely of the axis of the spindle carrier at the spindle stations, and cross slide operating means driven by the cam shaft for reciprocating the cross slides in timely sequence with the angular indexing of the spindle carrier, the improvement wherein a cross slide is provided for each of the spindle stations and wherein the cross slide operating mechanism comprises cam means on the cam shaft providing a plurality of axially spaced dn've cams for the plurality of cross slides respectively, two banks of coaxial levers mounted for pivotal oscillation about axes parallel to the axis of the cam shaft and located generally symmetrically between and transversely of the axes of the spindle carrier and cam shaft, cam followers mounted on the inner ends of the levers having operative engagement with the drive cams respectively for oscillating the levers with the cam shaft, a plurality of rocker shafts mounted about the spindle carrier for oscillation about axes parallel to the spindle carrier axis and at varying distances therefrom, the rocker shafts having axially spaced cranks and having eccentrically mounted drive means on one end thereof connected for reciprocating the respective cross slides, and adjustable length connecting rods operatively connecting the rocker shaft cranks and the outer ends of the levers respectively.

8. The improvement of claim 7 wherein the cam means comprises a plurality of axially spaced cams on the cam shaft having cam tracks on opposed axial faces thereof, and wherein the cam followers of the two banks of coaxial levers have operative engagement with the cam tracks on opposite axial faces respectively of the axially spaced cams.

9. The improvement of claim 7 wherein the eccentrical- 7 8 1y mounted drive means comprise eccentrically mounted References Cited rolls axially projecting from the ends of the rocker shafts UNITED STATES PATENTS into operative engagement with the cross slides for reciprocation thereof, and wherein the adjustable length con- 52 nectlng rods have ad ustable eye bolts on the ends there- 5 3245:290 4/1966 Johansson of to provide for adjusting the length of the connecting rods and therefore the angular positions of the eccen- HARRISON L'HINSON, Primary Examinertncally mounted rolls. 

1. IN A MULTIPLE SPINDLE LATHE HAVING A MULTIPLE SPINDLE CARRIER ADAPTED TO BE ANGULARLY INDEXED FOR INDEXING THE SPINDLES SUCCESSIVELY TO A PLURALITY OF SPINDLE STATIONS, A CAM SHAFT MOUNTED ABOVE THE SPINDLE CARRIER FOR ROTATION ABOUT AN AXIS PARALLEL TO THE AXIS OF THE CARRIER, A PLURALITY OF TOOL CROSS SLIDES MOUNTED FOR RECTILINEAR RECIPROCABLE MOVEMENT TRANSVERSELY OF THE AXIS OF THE SPINDLE CARRIER, AND CROSS SLIDE OPERATING MEANS DRIVEN BY THE CAM SHAFT FOR RECIPROCATING THE CROSS SLIDES IN TIMELY SEQUENCE WITH THE ANGULAR INDEXING OF THE SPINDLE CARRIER; THE IMPROVEMENT WHEREIN A PLURALITY OF INDIVIDUAL TOOL CROSS SLIDES ARE PROVIDED WHICH INCLUDE A PAIR OF INDIVIDUAL TOOL ACROSS SLIDES AT LEAST AT ONE OF THE SPINDLE STATIONS, AND WHEREIN THE CROSS SLIDE OPERATING MECHANISM COMPRISES CAM MEANS ON THE CAM SHAFT PROVIDING A PLURALITY OF AXIALLY SPACED DRIVE CAMS FOR THE PLURALITY OF CROSS SLIDES RESPECTIVELY, AND INDIVIDUAL DRIVE MEANS FOR THE CROSS SLIDES OPERATIVELY CONNECTING THE AXIALLY SPACED CAMS WITH THE CROSS SLIDES RESPECTIVELY FOR RECIPROCATION THEREOF. 